The New Conforming Loan Limit For 2023

There is a limit to how much you can borrow when you get a mortgage. Individually, this will be determined by your creditworthiness and how much you can afford to spend each month.

At the industry level, lenders are limited in how much they can lend to borrowers in order for their loans to meet the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s standards (FHFA). Conforming loans are conventional loans that meet these requirements. Let’s take a look at what the new conforming loan limit for 2023 is.

Key Takeaway

  • What is conforming loan limit?
  • The new conforming loan limit for 2023
  • Is a conforming loan a good thing?
  • What is the difference between conforming and FHA loans?
  • What is the downside of a conventional loan?
The New Conforming Loan Limit
Credit:mpamag.com

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What is conforming loan limit?

The conforming loan limit specifies the amount of money that can be borrowed with a conventional loan. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sets the conforming loan limits. The 2023 conforming loan limit is $726,200, an increase from $647,200 in 2022.

What is the cause of the increase? The increase in housing prices. According to the FHFA, home prices increased by slightly more than 12% on average between the third-quarters of 2021 and 2022. The base conforming loan limit was also raised by the same percentage.

The conforming loan limit is adjusted annually to reflect changes in the average price of a home in the United States, as mandated by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) of 2008. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the federal regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, set the annual limit and is announced in November for the following year.

The FHFA adjusts the conforming loan limit for the following year based on the percentage increase/decrease in the average house price from October to October, as reported in the Federal Housing Finance Board’s (FHFB) House Price Index report.

What is conforming loan limit?

Conforming loan limits are determined by the value of the home. The FHFA updates its baseline loan limit each year based on the House Price Index (HPI), which tracks the average increase in home values over the previous year.

The new loan limits are calculated each year using FHFA HPI third-quarter data. The loan limit was raised by 18.05% in 2022. Rocket Mortgage anticipates a 12.21% increase in 2023.

Conforming loans are advantageous to consumers because they typically have lower interest rates than non-conforming loan types.

If the sale price of a home exceeds the conforming loan limit for your area, increasing your down payment to stay within the limit can be one way to enjoy the benefits of a conforming loan without having to take out a jumbo loan.

The new conforming loan limit for 2023

$726,200

The 2023 conforming loan limit is $726,200, up from $647,200 in 2022. The limit is higher in Alaska and Hawaii, where it is $1,089,300 for a single-family home.

Is a conforming loan a good thing?

Conforming loans frequently have lower interest rates than non-conforming loans since there is a larger secondary market for them, which results in lower monthly payments and less money spent overall. Additionally, conforming loans often have smaller down payment needs.

Pros

  • Fewer restrictions than for non-conforming loans. A conforming loan is simpler to qualify for than a non-conforming loan. A greater down payment, lower debt-to-income ratio, and better credit score are frequently needed for jumbo mortgages.
  •  Interest rates are lower than on some mortgages. Conforming loans typically have lower interest rates than non-conforming loans.

Are conforming loans bad?

Conforming loans are a wonderful choice if you want to receive a low monthly payment because they often give customers with strong credit scores lower interest rates.

Are FHA limits increase in 2023?

On December 1, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced its loan limits for 2023. The nationwide increase in median home prices indicates that most buyers will see increases.

For single-family home loans, the FHA floor will rise from $420,680 to $472,030. The floor amount is the lowest FHA loan limit that any area of the country can have.

The FHA’s ceiling loan limits, or the maximum loan amount that the agency will ensure will rise from $970,800 to $1,089,300 for a single-family home. In Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands, the limit rises to $1,633,950.

The new loan limits will apply to all FHA-insured loans issued on or after January 1, 2023. The FHA loan limits for 2023 by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) or county can be found on the FHA loan limits webpage.

The FHA also raised the loan limits for its Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), also known as a reverse mortgage, to $1,089,300. Because the HECM program regulations prohibit varying loan limits by MSA or county, this limit applies to all mortgages regardless of location.

The table below shows the FHA loan limits for low- and high-cost areas in 2023:

Property SizeLow-Cost Area “Floor”High-Cost Area “Ceiling”Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands “Ceiling”1
One-Unit$472,030$1,089,300$1,633,950
Two-Units$604,400$1,394,775$2,092,150
Three-Units$730,525$1,685,850$2,528,775
Four-Units$907,900$2,095,200$3,142,800

Is a conforming loan better than a conventional loan?

A conforming loan’s main benefit is that it often offers a lower interest rate than a non-conforming loan, which translates into lower monthly mortgage payments and less money spent overall during the loan’s term.

What is the difference between conforming and FHA loans?

FHA and conforming loans have a few key differences:

  •   Down Payments And PMI

You’ll need a sizable down payment to get started with a conventional conforming or non-conforming home loan. Although you may be able to see a lender who will issue a mortgage with as little as 3% down, typical requirements range from 5% to 20%. A 3.5 percent down payment is required for an FHA loan. That means a $15,000 down payment is required to purchase a $300,000 home.

A conventional loan requires $60,000 to qualify, whereas an FHA loan requires as little as $10,500.

Your credit score will determine your down payment. The lower end of a conventional loan will be reserved for those with credit scores in the high 600s, and large savings account to serve as a cushion. With an FHA loan, you can get a 3.5 percent down payment even if your credit score is as low as 580.

  •   Mortgage Insurance Requirements

When a government sponsored entity backs your loan, the lender is protected against default, but you pay the price. Although an FHA loan requires a lower down payment, you may find that you are better off with a conventional loan due to the FHA mortgage insurance you will pay.

These rates are determined by the loan-to-value ratio and are required regardless of the amount of your down payment. FHA mortgage insurance can be taken down after 11 years if your payment is 10% or higher, but it otherwise remains for the life of the loan unless you refinance.

  •   Insurance Backing for Loan

The backing is the primary distinction between a conforming mortgage and an FHA mortgage. The federal government ensures FHA loans, giving lenders a little more leeway in issuing loans to homebuyers. The Federal Housing Administration issues FHA loans, and the insurance covers the loan if you stop making payments.

A conforming loan is a conventional loan which “conforms” to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s loan limits. Because the government backs FHA loans, these limits protect you from being issued a loan that is more than you can afford.

However, conventional loans, known as non-conforming home loans, also known as jumbo loans, are available to borrowers who meet a stringent set of qualification criteria. Conforming loans account for the vast majority of conventional loans.

  •   Requirements To Qualify

The most appealing aspect of an FHA loan is the ease of qualification. Not only can you get in with a lower down payment, but you won’t have to meet the stringent requirements of a conventional loan. If you’re looking for a non-conforming loan, which is a conventional loan for a larger amount of money than is typical, the qualification requirements are even more stringent.

The credit score is the most important factor in deciding between a conforming loan and an FHA loan.

A conventional loan typically needs a credit score of 620 or higher, whereas an FHA loan can be obtained with a score as low as 580 or 500-579 with a 10% down payment. With an FHA loan, one may be able to get in with a debt-to-income ratio as high as 50 percent, whereas conventional loans usually require it to be 43 percent or less.

What is the downside of a conventional loan?

High Down Payment

Conventional loans have higher down payments, typically around 20%, compared to as little as 3.5 percent for some FHA loans. This means that more money is needed upfront. These loans typically necessitate a higher credit score.

Conventional loans also have higher interest rates, and lenders financing more than 80% of the cost may require mortgage insurance, though at a lower rate.

Conclusion

Your financial situation determines the choice between an FHA loan and a conventional loan. An FHA loan might be better if you have a lower credit score, a higher DTI ratio, or less money saved for a down payment. Conversely, a conventional loan may be more suitable if your finances are sound and you can qualify for favorable loan terms.

Reference:

https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/conforming-loan-limits

https://www.ucbi.com/support/learning-center/what-does-a-new-conforming-loan-limit-mean-for-you/#:~:text=The%20Federal%20Housing%20Finance%20Agency,quarters%20of%202021%20and%202022.

https://www.nahb.org/blog/2022/12/fha-loan-limits

https://themortgagereports.com/11464/fha-mortgage-vs-conforming-mortgage-which-is-better

You can learn more from the video below:

About Author

The New Conforming Loan Limit
Precious Ejimofor
My name is Precious Ejiofor, I am a professional self motivated, dependable writer and editor, with over 4 year of experience in writing for variety of business and platforms. I am able and capable to write on any kind of topic.
Specifically, I focus on producing persuasive and compelling contents that is thoughtful, prominent, and engaging.

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